AEET's 2025 Haunted Holiday Special

Someone actually suggested this as a post a few years ago, and the old me would absolutely not even entertain the thought of having Elvira featured on my blog --I swing forever eternally loyal to Vampira, for obvious reasons! But having little else really that great to offer here at AEET this year around, (I know, it occasionally even happens to the best of us!) --not to mention that I love what Frank Springer has delivered with the art-- I thought I'd go ahead and fill that ancient request, and give said thorny horror ho-hostess a little time to shine here on this horniest of horrorday seasons. It's a fun twist on the Dicken's classic, and as mentioned, the art is really well done, as is the super funny xmas tree horror back-up tale also featured in this same issue (love that appropriately timed political wish-list ending too!) So have yourself some merry lil titillating thrills 'n chills from the March 1987 issue of Elvira's Haunted Holidays Special #1, and be sure to visit THOIA tomorrow on Xmas Eve for an even more appropriate double-shot of Xmas evil...

 

The Laugh (Le Rire) Cover Gallery

Who's ready for more pleasing candy to the 'ol eye? To say that I wasn't prepared to stumble upon a nice big stack of Le Rire back issues (covers only actually) at a local antique mall last week would be a serious understatement. Le Rire, aka "The Laugh", was a weekly satirical magazine published in Paris from 1894 until 1971. As you skim through the covers below you'll notice that most, if not all, are likely from the later half of this publication's great, length run. With very attractive illustrative art, done in a variety of somewhat realistic but mostly cartoony styles, and executed by a variety of equally talented masters of the craft (fyi: every piece is signed!) And since it's December, we'll kick off this great girly gallery with a festive holiday chuckle, my own gift to everyone out there who continues to support and visit AEET on a regular basis. Enjoy!

Suzanne's Fashion Designing Set

I'm always on the look-out for vintage mannequins, and I see these these neat 1940's doll dress design mini-mannequins around occasionally, so I finally picked one up. A fun mailer box holds this 12 1/2" Latexture Products Inc. NYC lady, as well as a helpful pamphlet and assorted dress making material leftovers via the previous owner. Children probably had a blast creating their own doll fashions, not to mention learning a few things that likely proved rewarding in later life. This particular fashion mannequin was sold at Stix, Baer and Fuller department stores here in STL, a now defunct chain where my grandmother spent over half a century working until she retired.